Scientists in New Zealand and Australia have discovered a new species of ghost shark, known as the Australasian narrow-nosed Spookfish. The deep-water creature is genetically and morphologically similar to sharks and rays and has an elongated snout, slender body, chocolate brown coloring, and large eyes. They are cartilaginous, meaning that their skeletons are mostly made of cartilage and their embryos grow in egg capsules. The Australasian narrow-nosed Spookfish researchers found was a juvenile shark, giving them an uncommon opportunity to learn more about ghost shark development. It’s difficult to locate and study ghost sharks since they primarily live along the dark ocean floor, making this discovery a major win in the marine biology community.
Image via CNN
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